EF0 Tornado — Ellis, Oklahoma

2025-05-18 · near Arnett, Ellis, Oklahoma

Event narrative

This tornado moved into Ellis County from Hemphill County TX crossing the state line just south of Texas Farm-to-Market Road 2758 and Oklahoma County Road E0690. A storm survey by the NWS Office in Amarillo observed tree damage along E0690 Road just east of the Texas state line, and along County Road N1690 south of E0680 Road. The tornado dissipated very closer to E0680 Road about 250 yards west of N1690 Road.

Geolocation of drone footage of the tornado from the OTUS (Observations of Tornadoes by UAV Systems) Research team showed that while the tornado moved generally northeast, numerous variations in the motion occurred.

This tornado was rated EF1 based on damage in Hemphill County TX, but only EF0 damage could be confirmed in Oklahoma.

Wider weather episode

A deep upper-level trough continued to progress eastward across the Central and Southern Plains on the 18th, promoting another round of intense severe weather across the northwestern portion of the WFO Norman Forecast Area. During the early evening, a strong dryline served as the focus for thunderstorm initiation across the aforementioned area. A pair of intense supercell thunderstorms developed here, each producing large to very large hail, with multiple reports of hailstones ranging from four to five inches in diameter. In addition to very large hail, one of the supercells generated a tornado family consisting of four separate tornadoes across Ellis County. Among these was an intense EF3 tornado that impacted areas just southwest of Arnett, OK, causing significant damage along its path.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (36.0130, -100.0000)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1262090. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.